Gas-engine



(No Model.)

I. -N.' HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE. No. 379,397. Patented Mar. 18, 1888.

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NITED STATES FFICE UATENI GAS-ENGlNE.

SPECIFICATION farming part of Letters Patent No. 379,397. dated March 13, I888.

Application tiled Apr-i120, 1887. Serial K0131 1522.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, I. NEWTON HOPKINS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Gas-Engine, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 y in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on line w in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the same, more fully disclosing the countersunk apertures in the plate arranged in the exploding-chamber.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my present invention is to improve the gas-engine for which Letters Patent were granted to G. M. and I. N. Hopkins, September 22, 1885, No. 326,562.

My improvement has relation to a device for preventing the mixture ofthe combustiblegases and products of combustion, thereby rendering it possible to utilize the products of combustion as a cushion for the explosion, at the same time retaining the combustible or explosive mixture in a nearly pure condition, so that the force of the explosion is utilized to a greater extent than in the engine above referred to. The object of my invention is also to further improve the said engine by constructing a double air-pipe with the ends opposing each other, so that the sound-vibrations produced in one branch of the pipe will neutralize those of the other branch.

M y invention consists in the combination, with the cylinder and hollow piston of the gas-engine, of a perforated disk or plate supported near the ports of the engine, and serving as a diaphragm for preventing the mix ture of the gases drawn into the piston and cylinder during its forward stroke, and also as an abutment for the explosion.

My invention also consists in the combination,with the gas and air port of the cylinder, of an air supply pipe having two similar branches extending in opposite directions from the air-port, and having their ends arranged opposite each other and a short distance apart.

To the cylinder A is fitted a piston,B, having a prolonged hollow cylindrical portion,C, pro- (NO model.)

ing port, E, which opens during the early part of the outward stroke of the piston by passing the port D, and closes when the piston has nearly completed half of its outstroke. In the engine described in Patent No. 326,562 the gas and air entering this port formed eddies in the hollow piston and mixed with the products of combustion from the previous explosion, and a portion of the gas was wasted by forming an incombustible mixture with the products of combustion, so that when the ignition-flame was drawn through the ignitionport a of the cylinder and the corresponding port, b, of the piston, only the gas lying near the said port would be ignited.

In my present invention I provide a plate, F, which is supported centrally in the piston, leaving a peripheral space between it and the piston. In some cases I perforate the said plate to permit the exploding mixture contained between the plate and the head of the piston to more readily act upon the cushion formed by the products of combustion lying between the said plate F and the head 0 of the cylinder A. In the present case I have shown a plate F supported by a rod, G, screwed into the cylinder-head and projecting forward axially in the cylinder, and have shown the plateF provided with a boss, cl, fitted to the rod G, and the set-screw 0, adapted to clamp the plate in any desired position along the length of the rod G; but I do not confine myself to this construction, as after ascertaining the best position for the plate F the rod G and thejsaid plate may be made integrally.

To prevent the apertures of the plate F from clogging, they are countersunk,so as to present a thin edge around .the apertures, which will afford only a slight hold to the carbon and other products of combustion, so that these substances will be detached when the explosion occurs. The products of combustion are permitted to escape through the exhaust-valve H in themanner described in theformer patent.

To the side of the cylinder A, and covering the air-port D, is attached an air-pipe, I, which extends from the port D laterally a short distance, and is divided into two branches, each branch being curved so as to bring the endsf of the branches of the air-pipe opposite and I near each other.

For the sake of compactness I have in the present instance curved the branches of the air-pipe over and under the cylinder; but this particular form is not necessary to the suc cessful operation of the machine.

In the present case (as in the former patent) gas is taken into the air-pipe at a point near the port D through the pipe 9. By opposing the ends of the branches of the air-pipein the manner described all puffs and vibrations produced in the air-pipe are neutralized.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the cylinder, cylinder-head, and piston having a hollow prolongation at the inner end thereof, of a perforated plate mounted on a fixed support secured to said cylinder-head and held within the prolongation of the piston, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the cylinder A, having the head a, and piston B, having the hollow cylindrical prolongation G, of the rod G, projecting inwardly from the head 0, and the perforated plate F, mounted adjustably on the said rod G, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the cylinder A, having the head 0, and the piston B, having the hollow cylindrical prolongation G, of the plate F, provided with countersunk perfora-. tions, and supported in a fixed position within the prolongation of the piston, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the power-cylinder of a gas-engine, of a branched air-pipe having its ends arranged opposite each other, substantially as specified.

I. NEWTON HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

GEO. M. HOPKINS, G. SEDGwIcK. 

